The present invention relates to shower systems, and in particular to mechanisms for positioning and supporting a shower post.
People commonly shower while standing in a tub enclosure or shower stall. The main showerhead is usually mounted on the wall to shower water down upon the person's head and body. However, the head is usually positioned to best accommodate people of average height. This can require individuals of large stature to bend down and duck their heads under the showerhead to wash their hair or faces. For children and shorter adults showerheads at this height may splash into their faces or be at an undesirably low pressure when the water reaches their bodies.
It is also known to attach a showerhead to a plumbing supply line via a hose or other flexible conduit to create what is known as a personal shower. The showerhead may be removed from a fixed shower wall mount and held by the hand during showering. However, this requires the bather to assign one hand to holding the spray head. This makes it more difficult to use shampoo, or shave, or use soap, at the same time.
In another approach showerheads have been attached to a rod so as to be vertically slidable along the rod. However, these systems typically require the user to loosen and re-tighten fasteners to adjust the height of the showerhead and secure it in the adjusted position.
Other shower systems provide a height adjustment mechanism in which the user can lift or lower the showerhead and the showerhead is held in a new position. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,360,159 and 2,685,093. Yet, such shower systems typically do not permit the stem or post of the showerhead to be rotated. Thus, the spray direction of the shower can only be adjusted at the pivot joint of the showerhead.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a further improved shower system having an adjustment mechanism in which both the height and angular direction of the showerhead can be easily adjusted.